What was once considered a boring business meeting of football executives started here in Philadelphia, coincidentally in 1936, has become one of the biggest sports weekends and parties of the year – and more. (Click the Draft logo for pictures and more information.)

“It’s not the draft the way people knew it even three years ago,” Larry Needle, executive director of PHL Sports, the group that helped bring the draft to Philly, told Good Day Philadelphia recently. “It’s a tremendous new event.”

The fan festival will extend along the Ben Franklin Parkway like you’ve never seen it before – all the way to the Franklin Institute – and it’ll be free. Organizers say it represents "the largest festival footprint ever created by the NFL, spanning the size of nearly 25 football fields."

Of course, you won’t be alone. Organizers are expecting 200,000 fans for the three-day event, and 40 million viewers watching from around the country. And the staging area will dwarf what we saw for the 2015 visit of Pope Francis. (Click the Draft logo for maps.)

Prepare for the heat: Temperatures during the Draft are forecast to be between 78 and 85 degrees on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Take care while being outside, especially if you have pre-existing conditions that can be a concern in warmer weather. Wear appropriate clothing, take breaks, and stay hydrated. Bring an empty water container. There will be free water stations to fill up your container.

These are the details: NFL Draft events will take place from Thursday, April 27 through Saturday, April 29 on the Ben Franklin Parkway, Eakins Oval and the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Organizers say to “Watch as lives are changed and the future unfolds” which is the NFL draft. Teams select college football players to be on their teams. The teams often trade the selection order up to the last moment, and then have to come to terms with the players they selected.

The draft itself will take place at night in front of a crowd who already registered for seats by lottery, but everybody in the area will be able to watch and listen to their favorite young athlete’s fate and their favorite team’s selections at a 3,000-seat open-air theater at the base of the Art Museum steps.

There will be 7 rounds in the draft.Round 1 starts Thursday at 8pm. Each team will get 10 minutes to make its selection. That will include prospects walking the red carpet before the start of the NFL Draft.Rounds 2-3 start Friday at 7pm. In Round 2, each team will get 7 minutes. In Round 3, each team will get 5 minutes. The names will be announced by 32 former players from the NFL Legends Community, along with past recipients and team winners of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.Rounds 4-7 start Saturday at noon. In Rounds 4-6, each team will get 5 minutes. In Round 7, each team will get 4 minutes. Rounds 4-5 will be broadcast from locations across the country. Teams will announce their selections at their facilities and other unique market locations. Round 6 will feature appearances by youth football teams across the country. And Round 7 will bring fans back to Philadelphia for the culmination of the Draft, live from the NFL Draft Theater.

As of this writing. the Eagles will have 8 picks over the 3 days: Round 1: #14 (Thursday, acquired in a trade with Minnesota for Sam Bradford. The Eagles traded away their own 1st round pick to Cleveland when they acquired Carson Wentz.)

Round 2: #43 (Friday) Round 3: #99 (Friday) Round 4: #118 (Saturday) Round 4: #139 (Saturday) Round 5: #155 (Saturday) Round 6: #194 (Saturday) Round 7: #230 (Saturday) But remember, this is subject to change. Trades can happen at any time. Click here for the history of the draft, including Philadelphia’s major role -- even though we haven’t hosted it since 56 years ago, in 1961.

Who will be here in person? 22 prospects, including Temple’s Haason Reddick, and 14 college head coaches. Louisiana State leads all colleges with three players in attendance, while the Pac-12 leads all conferences with seven prospects confirmed to attend the event.

The big event may be something other than the draft, which will be great for families and non-fans who don’t keep up with college football or know each NFL team’s needs.

It’s called the NFL Draft Experience and it’s free. NFL Draft Experience hours will be Thursday and Friday, noon to 11pm; and Saturday, 10am to 6pm. The three-day football festival will be held along a half-mile stretch of the Ben Franklin Parkway.

Some of the activities are interactive elements, flag football competitions, concessions, player appearances and autograph signings, NFL Shop at Draft, the NFL PLAY 60 Zone where youth football clinics will take place, visits by Draft prospects, and more. Needle, on Good Day Philadelphia, suggested running, kicking a field goal, and seeing what an NFL locker room looks like. (Many details coming up in a few paragraphs.)

The NFL’s official companion app, NFL Draft-Fan Mobile Pass, can guide visitors through the NFL Draft Experience and also provide exclusive chances to win prizes, like exclusive Draft memorabilia, the ability to collect badges at interactive events, and more. Click here to download the app.

One place to visit will be Selection Square, at the Franklin Institute. As one of the epicenters of the 2017 NFL Draft, it’ll feature all 32 team tables where representatives from each team will make their Draft selections throughout the three days. Plus, there will be a free viewing gallery in the rotunda of the historic Benjamin Franklin National Memorial. Highlights of the viewing gallery include a real-time, up-close look at the player selection process and ability to watch NFL Network-produced programming live from the NFL Draft.

Examples of Games Zip to the Future: Fly over NFL Draft Experience on a 100-yard zip line. Due to high demand, timed reservations will be made available via Fan Mobile Pass. Combine Corner: From racing against NFL players to running routes, fans can test their football and athletic skills at Combine Corner. Featured attractions include: Vertical Jump: Take your position at the vertical jump and find out what the difference between your reach and the flag you hit is, just like at the NFL Scouting Combine. 40-Yard Dash: Race down the field against digital NFL players on a 40-yard long LED wall. Hail Mary: Test your long-distance accuracy by throwing a deep pass over defenders into a drop-in net. Triple Zero Field Goal Kick: Test your ability to kick a field goal through NFL uprights. Touch Pass: Master one of the most difficult throws for an NFL quarterback by throwing the ball on an arc over a defensive player and into a net. NFL Virtual Reality: Experience NFL games using virtual reality technology.

Examples of Attractions NFL Draft Set: Visit the official NFL Draft set from Thursday to Saturday and see the view from behind the podium. ESPN Set: Check out SportsCenter LIVE from NFL Draft Experience. NFL Network Desk: Take your seat behind the NFL Network Total Access desk and break down the game. NFL Draft Experience Tailgate: Enjoy selections from some of Philadelphia’s best restaurants in a “taste of the town” tailgate. NFL Museum (Pro Football Hall of Fame display area): This exhibit features historical Hall of Fame memorabilia, a full collection of 50 Super Bowl rings, Conference Championship trophies, and a chance to create your own digital Hall of Fame bronze bust. NFL Auction Prizes and Giveaways: Located in the NFL Museum, stop by for cool giveaways and chances to win unique NFL instant prizes for registered fans. View game worn and signed memorabilia available only on the NFL Auction website, and learn about the charities and foundations that the NFL and NFL Auction support. Vince Lombardi Trophy: Take a photo with the Super Bowl trophy. AFC & NFC Locker Rooms: Visit a replica NFL locker room as it appears on gameday. Experience the sights of an NFL pregame with sleek transparent LCDs. College Football Corner: Fans can view College Football Hall of Fame memorabilia from former first round Draft picks and Eagles legends, and cheer on Draft prospects from their favorite college team. Life size player mannequins offer unique photo opportunities.

At the Draft Experience, NFL partners are participating in unprecedented and bigger ways NFL Helmet Photo Opportunity: Find your favorite NFL team oversized helmet and have your photo taken by an Aquafina brand ambassador. Share your photos through your favorite social channel and the Fan Mobile Pass app. Bridgestone Experience at NFL Draft Experience: Dive into the action, make the winning catch in our football photo experience, pose in an NFL Draft picture frame, and challenge your friends to an interactive football game. Build A Bar: Attendees can grab their friends and try their hand in the Bud Light Vend Zone, a fully-customized vending machine that rewards attendees with each successful throw of the football. Afterwards, snap a pic in front of the Bud Light can wall and enjoy other games. Campbell’s: The soup company will be rolling into the NFL Draft Experience in their food truck with samples of two fan favorites, Campbells Chunky and SpaghettiOs. NFL players will be making special appearances at the sampling truck throughout the weekend. After filling up on samples, fans may head over to the NFL PLAY 60 Zone Obstacle Course presented by Campbell’s & SpaghettiOs to test their football skills. Courtyard: The official hotel of the NFL will celebrate the Draft coming to Philadelphia with lively fan interactives, including “Be a Broadcaster Video Smash-Up” and a “40-Character Dash.” Fans will have access to NFL stars, compete to win prizes, and experience Courtyard's hospitality. Shipping Center: Send home your officially licensed NFL Draft merchandise from the convenient FedEx Office Shipping Center. NFL Draft Tavern: Grab a drink and support your team during the event at the NFL Draft Tavern presented by Bud Light. NFL Shop at Draft presented by Visa: Stop by for the largest assortment of NFL Draft merchandise, including customizable Nike Jerseys and the official 2017 NFL Draft Cap by New Era and exclusive Draft gear. NFL SUNDAY TICKET True Fan Zone: Stop by to learn how you can stream every out-of-market game, every Sunday afternoon from your favorite devices. Then, step into the “Sound Off Station” and show everyone your passion for your team. Triple Zero Sampling Truck: Visit the Oikos Triple Zero truck to sample protein packed snacks from the official yogurt sponsor of the NFL. Unstoppable Drop: Take your chance at dropping a football down larger-than-life Oikos Triple Zero gameboard. With the right bounces, fans could instantly win exciting NFL Draft prizes. Thursday, see Carson Wentz. Friday, see Jeremiah Trotter. Panini America: The exclusive physical trading card partner of the NFL, Panini America will give fans the opportunity to win packs of Panini NFL trading cards and receive the Panini NFL Sticker Album. Fans can create their own digital Panini trading card, interact with their Panini Gridiron app, and learn how to collect the actual trading cards of this year’s Draft picks from Panini Instant. Rolling with the Rookies presented by Hyundai: Four Santa Fe vehicles will be wrapped with designs by renowned cleat artist Marcus Rivero, and each vehicle’s wrap will reflect the unique life story of four potential first-round pick rookies. Inside “Rolling with the Rookies,” Hyundai is going beyond the numbers by showing the life journey of these four rookies in its first original NFL content series highlighting the people, places, and experiences that truly shaped them. On display, in addition to the custom designed vehicles, will be four immersive exhibits highlighting footage and memorabilia from each player’s life. SiriusXM: SiriusXM NFL Radio and SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio bring expert analysis of the 2017 NFL Draft to the Draft Experience. Stop by, see your favorite hosts, listen to live coverage of each pick, and get all the big news that will impact your fantasy team. Skittles Makes the 2017 NFL Draft Awesomer: Visit the Team Skittles Locker Room to make your NFL Draft Experience Awesomer with exclusive Skittles photo-ops and delicious samples. Tostitos Cantina – Engage with current and former NFL players while they talk about their experiences during past NFL Drafts and grab a bag of Tostitos Tortilla Chips. Friday 4-5pm: Ron Jaworski; Saturday, 11am-12 noon: Zach Ertz. XFINITY Zone at NFL Draft Experience: Visit the XFINITY Zone at NFL Draft Experience and catch live NFL Draft coverage on NFL Network, meet NFL celebrities and players, win prizes, and more. Visa: The Visa activation at NFL Draft Experience will showcase an innovative retail experience. Visa and M&T Bank have teamed up to offer gift cards and dedicated check-out lanes for fans who complete a mobile pay demo. Stop by the Visa activation in NFL Draft Experience to demo the latest technology.

Play Football Field: The NFL and USA Football will host youth football clinics at the Play Football Field presented by Danimals. Local USA Football coaches and NFL players will demonstrate Heads Up tackling amongst other skills and drills. On-field football clinics are open to boys and girls ages 6-17. Clinics are free and open on a first-come, first-served basis: Thursday, 4-6pm; Friday, 4-6pm; Saturday, 12 noon-3pm, 3:30-5pm, 5:30-7pm.

NFL PLAY 60 Zone: The NFL PLAY 60 Zone presented by Danimals is an interactive area specifically designed for the youngest NFL fans to get active and moving. Participants can race through agility drills like the pros, test their high jump abilities, and weave through mini tackling. These are some of the attractions:Gear Up and Go: Try on NFL equipment and feel what it is like to gear up for gameday.Kids' Extra Point Kick: Test your ability to kick a field goal through the uprights.Kids' Long Snap: Test the ability to snap the ball like a pro. Kids' Quarterback Challenge: Test your passing skills. NFL PLAY 60 App Station: Run, jump, and turn through a simulated world in an app designed by NFL PLAY 60 and the American Heart Association.NFL PLAY 60 Challenge Virtual Field Trip: Take a virtual field trip with the NFL and the American Heart Association to learn how easy and fun it is to get active and heart healthy.NFL PLAY 60 Zone Obstacle Course: Race through agility drills just like the pros. Test your high jump abilities and weave through mini tackling dummies.NFL RUSH Gameday: Experience gameday with an app designed for kids to play fun games, customize their own avatars, watch awesome videos, and unlock cool digital gear from their favorite teams.

Autograph Stage at Draft: Fans can get free autographs from current NFL players and NFL Legends from Thursday through Saturday.There will also be appearances by team mascots and cheerleaders from the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens and more.

Why not the stadium complex in South Philadelphia, with parking and easy access to I-95? The Parkway is the city's picture postcard to the national TV audience, and that's important to Philly tourism officials.

Philadelphia police say they’re putting up a perimeter fence, but crowd control will be handled by NFL security. Police will provide road-blocking trucks and barricades. Philadelphia police will also be supporting the University of Pennsylvania police for the Penn Relays.

Also, the Penn Relays will be going on down the street at Franklin Field. Just take the Schuylkill Trail. You can get 20 percent off race day prices using the code UBER, the relays’ exclusive sponsor.

Most of the Parkway’s cultural institutions will be open as normal and some will even extend their hours. Look for names, addresses, phone numbers, and links with details below. There is also information for area residents and businesses below.

ROAD CLOSURES and PARKING RESTRICTIONS ARE NOW COMPLETELY IN EFFECT.

As FOX 29's Bruce Gordon put it, "You would have better luck learning an NFL playbook between now and Thursday than memorizing the street closures on tap for the 2017 NFL draft draft event this Thursday through Saturday. "

PHASE 4 (Full Extent of Road Closures): Tuesday, April 25 at midnight to Monday, May 1 at 5am.

--Benjamin Franklin Parkway will be closed from 20th Street to the Art Museum. --Martin Luther King Drive will remain open to 24th Street. --Eastbound Spring Garden Street will remain open from 31st Street to 24th Street. --Kelly Drive will be closed at Fairmount Avenue with traffic detoured onto Fairmount Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue. --Starting at 7pm on Monday, April 24 -- due to the closure of the outer lanes on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway -- traffic headed inbound (to Center City) from the Spring Garden Street Bridge or Martin Luther King Drive must exit Eakins Oval on the 24th Street ramp. Traffic headed inbound on Kelly Drive must exit at Fairmount Avenue. To get to the rear of the Art Museum on the north side, exit onto Fairmount Avenue, turn right on Pennsylvania Avenue and proceed southbound on 25th Street onto Anne d’Harnoncourt Drive.

PHASE 2: Wednesday, April 19 at midnight to Tuesday, May 2 before midnight.

PHASE 1: Monday, April 10 at midnight to Sunday, May 7 before midnight.

--Spring Garden Street westbound will close at Pennsylvania Avenue. --The westbound center roadway of Benjamin Franklin Parkway will maintain two lanes from 20th Street to Eakins Oval. The left lane of Benjamin Franklin Parkway will be closed from East Eakins Oval to Spring Garden St. and continue to southbound Kelly Drive, where it will open up to three travel lanes. --The right two lanes of Eakins Oval in front of the Art Museum steps will be closed for the building of the theatre. --Southbound Kelly Drive will have a lane drop between 25th St. and Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

Most of the road closures and parking restrictions will stay in place until 5am on Monday, May 1, but others will linger on. The mayor’s office says to expect delays if you’ll be in the area or use alternate routes. It also warns not to double-park which creates congestion, limits traffic flow and is illegal.

If you’re planning to be dropped off by a friend, taxi or ride-sharing service, ask to go to the 2400 block of Pennsylvania Avenue. Parking on that block was restricted weeks ago.

SEPTA Detours:SEPTA is a convenient, affordable way for fans to get to and from the event grounds. Several bus routes are operating on temporary detours. They include Routes 38, 43 and 27 (from Center City), which started April 10. Then, Monday, detours started on Routes 7, 32 and 48, along with changes to Routes 38, 43 and 27. There will be further changes on Thursday and Monday. CCT Service will pick up at 20th and Spring Garden streets (2000 Spring Garden Street), near the Route 43 transit stop. Click here for exact detour details and more on NFL Draft travel, straight from SEPTA.

"We are anticipating heavy ridership on all of our modes on April 27-29,” SEPTA General Manager Jeffrey Knueppel said. “We are urging those using SEPTA’s trains, subways, buses and trolleys to purchase their tickets and passes in advance and to review their travel and parking options prior to the events. Remember, with regular weekday commutes on Thursday and Friday, many SEPTA parking lots will be full by early morning.”

From the sports stadium complex, take SEPTA's Broad Street Subway north from Pattison Avenue. Fares can be purchased onsite, and fans are encouraged to purchase their return fare before departing. Find SEPTA on Twitter at @septa_social or call 215-580-7800. On Saturday, parking will be FREE at all SEPTA Regional Rail station surface lots.

Thursday and Friday, the Market Frankford and Broad Street lines will operate on regular weekday schedules. There will be added service when events on the Parkway end, Thursday and Friday evenings, to help ease return travel crowding. On Friday and Saturday evenings, the Market Frankford and Broad Street Line trains will operate 24 hours for late night travel. The Broad Street’s City Hall, Race-Vine and Spring Garden stations are all within walking distance of the Parkway. So is the Market Frankford’s 15th Station.

If you're taking Trolley Routes 10, 11, 13, 34, or 36 from West Philadelphia or Southwest Philadelphia, the stations at 19th and 22nd streets will bring you within a few blocks of the Parkway. There will be extra trolley service Thursday and Friday, 6pm to 10pm. Trolley Route 15 riders can connect to the Broad Street Line at Girard Avenue.

Regional Rail will operate regular weekday and weekend service with added cars to increase capacity during off-peak travel periods. Just be sure to check the latest schedule, dated April 23, 2017.

Passengers can also purchase one-day $8 Convenience Passes, $12 Individual, and $29 Family Independence Passes. Click here for details on all SEPTA fare options. SEPTA employee ambassadors wearing red shirts will be available at Center City stations to assist passengers heading to and from the events.

All fans on SEPTA with items (purses, small handbags, etc.) are subject to physical inspection by security personnel. Fans who don't agree to this search will not be allowed in the event.

-- No bags, purses, or backpacks larger than 16" x 14" x 12" -- All weapons and firearms are prohibited including pepper spray and electronic stunning devices -- No pets other than service animals -- No bottles, cans, liquid containers, coolers (except for fans with medical / dietary needs) -- No outside food or beverage -- No video recorders except for credentialed media -- No drones or UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) of any kind -- No missile-like objects -- No hover boards or any other self-propelled devices -- No smoking, lighters or e-cigarettes -- No laser pointers -- No artificial noisemakers -- No poles or sticks of any kind, including selfie sticks -- No object that may obstruct another fan's view, including umbrellas over 4' in diameter -- No folding chairs, bikes, or other large personal items -- No promotional items with commercial slogans or identification without written consent from the NFL -- Any item deemed dangerous or inappropriate, in management's sole discretion, will not be allowed at Draft and NFL Draft Experience -- Confiscated items will be disposed of and not returned

The PHLASH Downtown Loop will add service for Thursday, April 27 and operate its April weekend schedule Friday, April 28, through Sunday, April 30. PHLASH runs 10am-6pm and is an easy, inexpensive way to get around. PHLASH will re-route due to street closures during the NFL Draft Experience.

If you must drive into Center City, there are commercial off-street parking lots and garages near the Ben Franklin Parkway. It’s suggested you contact them in advance for rates and availability, or visit the Philadelphia Parking Authority’s website for a list of parking options.

Bicycle Lane Detours: During venue construction, a number of bicycle lanes along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Eakins Oval and in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art will be detoured. Appropriate signs will be prominently displayed, and cyclists are asked to use marked detours.

Pedestrian Detours: During venue construction, a number of sidewalks and pathways along the Ben Franklin Parkway, Eakins Oval and in front of the Art Museum will be detoured. Appropriate signs will be prominently displayed, and pedestrians are asked to use marked detours and avoid walking in the street. The primary north-south pedestrian detours will be 22nd Street and Anne d’Harnoncourt Drive.

Mailing Letters: You will not be able to mail letters in those blue Postal Service collection boxes you see on many corners. They are being temporarily locked as a precautionary security measure in the area surrounding NFL Draft activities. The collection boxes will be reopened Monday. These are the impacted collection boxes:

Most of the Parkway’s cultural institutions will be open as normal and some will even extend their hours. Also, look for special discounts during the draft. Visitors and residents alike are encouraged to visit the websites for details.

Philadelphia Museum of Art: www.philamuseum.org, 215-763-8100, Main Building at 26th Street and the Ben Franklin Parkway, Perelman Building at Fairmount and Pennsylvania avenues. During the NFL Draft Experience, the west entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art will be open and visitors may obtain access via pathways north and south of this entrance. Anne d’Harnoncourt Drive will be open at 25th Street, with access to the museum’s parking garage for museum visitors throughout the week. The south entrance to Anne d’Harnoncourt Drive will remain accessible via the Spring Garden Street Bridge for museum visitors only. Signs will be prominently displayed with directions.

The city released guidance for area residents in town and businesses that will be operating during the 2017 NFL Draft Experience.

"There's no reason to expect the inconvenience for businesses around the Parkway to be anything like what was experienced during the Pope's visit," said Karen Lockhart Fegely, Deputy Commerce Director for Neighborhood Business Services. "Businesses can stay open and we hope some will benefit from this free, family-friendly event which is expected to bring 200,000 visitors to our City over three days."

City services for businesses and residents in the Art Museum area -- such as trash pick-up -- will not be impacted, but traffic delays can be expected from road closures.

Customers, employees and deliveries WILL be able to access businesses and parking lots located in areas designated as “Local Access” at all times. During event days, people may be asked by police on duty to provide identification, but it will not be required for entry.

Businesses with questions or issues impacting their operations during the NFL Draft are encouraged to call the Department of Commerce’s Business Services Hotline at 215-683-2100 (or click here to email). The phone line will be operational for extended hours: Thursday, April 28 and Friday, April 29, from 9am to 11pm; and Saturday, April 30 from 10am to 6pm.

The city stresses, vending inside the Draft Experience is strictly prohibited and only currently-licensed Center City vendors may vend within the Center City special vending district. Click here for information about getting proper licenses for vending in areas not otherwise prohibited, and click here for a map of special vending districts and prohibited areas other than the Draft Experience site.

Also, to share ongoing promotions and reach both locals and out-of-town guests, businesses are encouraged to post on social media using the hashtag #DraftDeals.Click here for information on special deals and attraction information. Click here for additional information about the NFL Draft Experience, city-wide happenings and deals.